[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 8]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1926.501]
[Page 314-317]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR
PART 1926_SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION--Table of Contents
Subpart M_Fall Protection
Sec. 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection.
(a) General. (1) This section sets forth requirements for employers
to provide fall protection systems. All fall protection required by this
section shall conform to the criteria set forth in Sec. 1926.502 of
this subpart.
(2) The employer shall determine if the walking/working surfaces on
which its employees are to work have the strength and structural
integrity to support employees safely. Employees
[[Page 315]]
shall be allowed to work on those surfaces only when the surfaces have
the requisite strength and structural integrity.
(b)(1) Unprotected sides and edges. Each employee on a walking/
working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected
side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall
be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net
systems, or personal fall arrest systems.
(2) Leading edges. (i) Each employee who is constructing a leading
edge 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from
falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall
arrest systems. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is
infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the
employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets
the requirements of paragraph (k) of Sec. 1926.502.
Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create
a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of
establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan
which complies with Sec. 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace
situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.
(ii) Each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m) or
more above a lower level where leading edges are under construction, but
who is not engaged in the leading edge work, shall be protected from
falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall
arrest system. If a guardrail system is chosen to provide the fall
protection, and a controlled access zone has already been established
for leading edge work, the control line may be used in lieu of a
guardrail along the edge that parallels the leading edge.
(3) Hoist areas. Each employee in a hoist area shall be protected
from falling 6 feet (1.8 m) or more to lower levels by guardrail systems
or personal fall arrest systems. If guardrail systems, [or chain, gate,
or guardrail] or portions thereof, are removed to facilitate the
hoisting operation (e.g., during landing of materials), and an employee
must lean through the access opening or out over the edge of the access
opening (to receive or guide equipment and materials, for example), that
employee shall be protected from fall hazards by a personal fall arrest
system.
(4) Holes. (i) Each employee on walking/working surfaces shall be
protected from falling through holes (including skylights) more than 6
feet (1.8 m) above lower levels, by personal fall arrest systems,
covers, or guardrail systems erected around such holes.
(ii) Each employee on a walking/working surface shall be protected
from tripping in or stepping into or through holes (including skylights)
by covers.
(iii) Each employee on a walking/working surface shall be protected
from objects falling through holes (including skylights) by covers.
(5) Formwork and reinforcing steel. Each employee on the face of
formwork or reinforcing steel shall be protected from falling 6 feet
(1.8 m) or more to lower levels by personal fall arrest systems, safety
net systems, or positioning device systems.
(6) Ramps, runways, and other walkways. Each employee on ramps,
runways, and other walkways shall be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8
m) or more to lower levels by guardrail systems.
(7) Excavations. (i) Each employee at the edge of an excavation 6
feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from falling by
guardrail systems, fences, or barricades when the excavations are not
readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barrier;
(ii) Each employee at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, and similar
excavation 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from
falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers.
(8) Dangerous equipment. (i) Each employee less than 6 feet (1.8 m)
above dangerous equipment shall be protected from falling into or onto
the dangerous equipment by guardrail systems or by equipment guards.
(ii) Each employee 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above dangerous equipment
shall be protected from fall hazards by guardrail systems, personal fall
arrest systems, or safety net systems.
[[Page 316]]
(9) Overhand bricklaying and related work. (i) Except as otherwise
provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee performing
overhand bricklaying and related work 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower
levels, shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net
systems, personal fall arrest systems, or shall work in a controlled
access zone.
(ii) Each employee reaching more than 10 inches (25 cm) below the
level of the walking/working surface on which they are working, shall be
protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or
personal fall arrest system.
Note: Bricklaying operations performed on scaffolds are regulated by
subpart L--Scaffolds of this part.
(10) Roofing work on Low-slope roofs. Except as otherwise provided
in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee engaged in roofing
activities on low-slope roofs, with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet
(1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by
guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, or
a combination of warning line system and guardrail system, warning line
system and safety net system, or warning line system and personal fall
arrest system, or warning line system and safety monitoring system. Or,
on roofs 50-feet (15.25 m) or less in width (see Appendix A to subpart M
of this part), the use of a safety monitoring system alone [i.e. without
the warning line system] is permitted.
(11) Steep roofs. Each employee on a steep roof with unprotected
sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be
protected from falling by guardrail systems with toeboards, safety net
systems, or personal fall arrest systems.
(12) Precast concrete erection. Each employee engaged in the
erection of precast concrete members (including, but not limited to the
erection of wall panels, columns, beams, and floor and roof ``tees'')
and related operations such as grouting of precast concrete members, who
is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from
falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall
arrest systems, unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this
section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception:
When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a
greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and
implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of
paragraph (k) of Sec. 1926.502.
Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create
a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of
establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan
which complies with Sec. 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace
situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.
(13) Residential construction. Each employee engaged in residential
construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall
be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall
arrest system unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section
provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the
employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater
hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a
fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of
Sec. 1926.502.
Note: There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create
a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall
protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of
establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan
which complies with Sec. 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace
situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.
(14) Wall openings. Each employee working on, at, above, or near
wall openings (including those with chutes attached) where the outside
bottom edge of the wall opening is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower
levels and the inside bottom edge of the wall opening is less than 39
inches (1.0 m) above the walking/working surface, shall be protected
from falling by the use of a guardrail system, a safety net system, or a
personal fall arrest system.
(15) Walking/working surfaces not otherwise addressed. Except as
provided in Sec. 1926.500(a)(2) or in Sec. 1926.501 (b)(1) through
(b)(14), each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m)
[[Page 317]]
or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by a
guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.
(c) Protection from falling objects. When an employee is exposed to
falling objects, the employer shall have each employee wear a hard hat
and shall implement one of the following measures:
(1) Erect toeboards, screens, or guardrail systems to prevent
objects from falling from higher levels; or,
(2) Erect a canopy structure and keep potential fall objects far
enough from the edge of the higher level so that those objects would not
go over the edge if they were accidentally displaced; or,
(3) Barricade the area to which objects could fall, prohibit
employees from entering the barricaded area, and keep objects that may
fall far enough away from the edge of a higher level so that those
objects would not go over the edge if they were accidentally displaced.
